educationCourses & Classes

Training & CollegesTransport

&training

With the current recession continu-ing to affect the jobs market, whatbetter time to take a fresh look at

furthering your education?Even if you are secure in your job and feel

unthreatened by potential upheaval, there isbound to be an additional skill you could addto your portfolio which would further re-cession proof your CV. Or how about doinga course out of interest – maybe you’ve al-ways wanted to learn a language, make yourown jewellery, paint, or take up yoga.

There are endless options out there interms of part-time education and surely oneto suit your needs. Universities, Institutes ofTechnology, VEC’s, FAS, private college’s andvarious organisations throughout the coun-try all run part time courses in some shapeor form. The first thing to do is to decide ifyou want to do a course purely for interest

purposes, or to im-prove your CV andgain a qualification.

Part timecourses usually runfor 6 – 10 weeksand cost in the re-gion of 60 – 120euro. Don’t despairif you’ve missed thelast round, therewill usually beother courses onoffer again soon,and some organisa-tions run classes allyear round.

If you are lookingfor a course to im-prove your skills ordevelop your ca-reer, there are also

plenty of alternatives. Most Universities andInstitutes of Technology offer adult and con-tinuing education courses from Certificate toDegree and Post Graduate Level. In additionthere are numerous private colleges through-out the country offering courses in anythingfrom law to counselling to computing.

Modes of study and attendance will vary,depending on the college but most are de-signed to accommodate people in full-timeemployment and usually offer evening orweek-end classes. If you don’t want to attendat all then another option is online or dis-tance learning. Check out Kilroys College orCMIT to name just a few.

It’s all about second chance educationthese days, so most colleges are flexible interms of meeting part-time student needs. Tothat end many courses are offered on a credit

basis, which means you get a certain amountof ‘points’ for each section or module of acourse you complete. With this method oflearning you can progress at your own pace,and work towards your qualification bit bybit. This option is often known as the ACCSmode (Accumulation of Credits and Certifi-cation of Subjects) and allows students tostudy a portion of a full-time programme in apart-time mode. Another study mode worthnoting is the APL mode (Accreditation ofPrior Learning) which is a method of assess-ing a person’s prior learning in relation toparticular modules in a course. Basically a col-lege will look at what you have already donein previous studies or through work experi-ence, and decide if you are eligible for cred-its or exemptions on the course you want tostudy. Chances are that no matter what andhow you want to study, there will be a collegewilling to accommodate you. There are a cou-

ple of things worth bearing in mind though:Firstly, part-time education costs money –

an ECDL for example costs around €500while a degree on average may cost youmuch more. In general there is no state fund-ing or grants available for part-time educa-tion, though college fees are tax deductable.If you are hesitant at the idea of paying fullfees, consider it as an investment in your fu-ture. Also, shop around for options - somecolleges for example offer courses which arepart funded by FAS.Secondly if you are look-ing for a course to improve your career op-tions, make sure the qualification you receiveupon completion is nationally recognised. Un-fortunately there are many courses and qual-ifications out there which are only recognisedby the college offering them. If you are goingto invest good money in part-time educationit is always a good idea to ask who accreditsthe course.

Part Time learning Options

Improve your prospects of Employment

Take the MBC …..

Business Professional Nat. Cert. in Administration

Award: FETAC Level 6

Register on or before Friday September 30th For further details visit ww.moatebusinesscollege.com

or phone Frances at 090-6481178

www.moatebusinesscollege.com Telephone: 090-6481178

TrainingSafepass (weekly)FETAC Occ. First-AidOffice SafetyIOSH Managing SafetyManual Handling/Patient handlingFire SafetyFetac Health and Safety awarenessAbrasive wheelsPatient HandlingSafety RepresentativeDriver CPC

Machine TrainingExcavator, Telescopic, Dumper,Crane, Scaffolding, Forklift & Cherry Picker, Confined Space,Slinger, Signaller

RoadworksTraffic Managment PlansSigning, Lighting & GuardingLocating Underground Services

Construction Site SafetySite AuditsSite DocumentationSafety Files

Safety ConsultancySafety StatementsRisk Assessments

We offer our services nationwide Our services include:

Colab Building, LYIT, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. DonegalT: 074-9127786 F: 074-9127756 E: info@safetechirl.com

www.safetechirl.com

TREACY COACHESBALLINA

Enquiries to Tel: 096-22563

Also, Daily Service to SLIGO - departs Ballina at 7.30amand departs SLIGO IT at 5.15pm Monday to Friday

All Student daily & weekend services to SligoAll Student weekend services to GALWAY commence on 04 SeptSpecial Friday Service departing from Sligo IT at 1pm weekly

Thursday 25th August6.00pm – 9pm

Beauty Care• Hairdressing Level 5 • Hairdressing with Cosmetic Make-up &

Manicure – Level 6 City and Guilds• Complementary Therapies and Massage • Make-Up-Artistry

Business and Computing• Business Administration/Computer Studies • Business and Legal Studies• Computer Applications and Programming • Tourism Studies and Event Management

Care and Social Studies• Applied Social Studies• Community Development Level 6• Childcare and Pre-School Education

Further Education Courses 2011-2012

These courses are 1 and 2 year full-time courses starting in September and are accredited by FETAC,DES, City and Guilds and ITEC. Students can progress from these courses to Higher Education courses in

Universities and Institutes of Technology. It is essential for all students who have already applied for courses to attend at the college on Thursday

25th August to obtain an interview time for the following week.

• Childcare level 6• Nursing Studies

Media Studies• Print Journalism and Photography

Design• Architectural Technology• Art and Design• Furniture Design• Interior Design

Science and Services• Occupational Health and Safety• Veterinary Assistant• Security Studies• Engineering Technology• Horticulture

Driver CPC Sat 6th Aug Dungloe

Occ. First-Aid 10th – 12th Aug Letterkenny

Driver CPC Sat 3rd Sept Donegal

Infant First-Aid Tues 16th Aug Letterkenny

SafePass Sat 6th Aug Letterkenny

SafePass Sat 20th Aug Ballybofey

SafePass Weds 31st Aug Ballybofey Email: scfe@sligovec.ieWebsite: www.ballinodecollege.com

Professional develop-ment means increasingknowledge or skill in a

person's professional field,this can be done eitherthrough several methods in-cluding training courses. Onecan enhance their profes-sional career by undertakinga professional developmentsession through study, travel,research, workshops orcourses, sabbaticals, intern-ships, apprenticeships, resi-dencies or work with amentor or master.

Generally, a person initi-ates a professional develop-

ment course to build up hisexpertise, augment personalgrowth, improve teachingabilities and contribute to or-ganizational development.

Professional developmentcan either be generic in na-ture, or can be more skill-oriented. Genericprofessional developmentnurtures generic skillsthrough general personalcoaching. Skilled develop-ment involves developingone's ability in their currentprofession, like leadershiptraining for managers.

Professional development

courses are not just relevantfor people in the field of busi-ness management, but areequally important for otherprofessionals like teachers,medical practitioners, engi-neers and technicians. Someprofessions also associate ac-creditation with thesecourses, and use it as a yard-stick to measure a person'scompetence in their career.

One can achieve profes-sional development throughvocational education as well,which prepares learners forcareers that are traditionallynon-academic and are di-rectly related to a specifictrade. Some enroll for short-term courses or skill-specificcourses for enhancing theirexpertise.

For example, a teacherwho wants to develop hisoration skills could choose acourse in improving commu-nication skills. Profession-specific seminars andworkshops also provide in-sightful information on devel-oping one's career. Peoplewith technical backgroundscan take up research-basedwork or apprenticeshipsunder a mentor to learn thetricks of the trade.

Professional Development If you are involved or plan-

ning to get involved inrunning your own busi-

ness it is a very good idea tofind out as much as you pos-sibly can about all aspects offinance and marketing, Busi-ness management and ac-counting courses can go along way to ensuring thatyour finances stay in order.

Part time business man-agement courses can befound at various institutionsup and down the country sothey are accessible for everybudding business person, re-gardless of age and businessidea. They are usually inde-pendent standalone coursesthat are not incorporatedinto degree or diplomacourses.

This makes it far easierfor people to enrol andoffers those wanting togo into industry the helpthey largely need. Theyare usually short coursesthat last for anywhere upto ten weeks so theyshould not take too muchof your time away from get-ting your business up andrunning. However, some col-leges hold these courses in-frequently so it would be

best to have to look out forthem in your area.

There are also longercourses that are available atlarger colleges and theyfocus on all aspects of goinginto business, not just fi-nance and accounting. If youwant a better idea of how toset up and run a successfulbusiness then this might be abetter option for you.

Most part time businessmanagement courses coverthe same topics. You willcover all aspects of gettingpaid, recordingtransactions, main-taining accounts,profit and losscalculations,

tax issues, VAT registrationand maintenance, borrowingand saving, bank charges andreconciliation and managingyour business in terms ofbudgeting, pricing and over-heads.

Business managementcourses can really help toadvance your business'sprogress. The informationthat you will take away fromthis course is invaluable andcan help you to get yourbusiness off the ground, as

well as avoid financ-ing problems later,especially in termsof tax. If you aregoing for a more

sustained qualificationthen it is likely that you

will learn how to usethe technology involvedas well.

Minding Your Business

Paying for a University Educationcan be expensive and over-whelming, but there are options,

and not just bank loans and part-timejobs. There are many scholarships,grants, and bursaries available basedon, among other things, where youlive, clubs you’re a member of, yoursubject of study, and your own per-sonal background.

Undergraduate tuition fees start atabout €4100 upwards, with profes-sional programmes such as law andmedicine costing more. Most collegeshave extra charges such as sportscentre fees and an annual studentservices charge or registration fee,which covers student services andexaminations. In September 2011 theStudent Services Charge will be re-placed by a flat-rate student contri-bution of €2,000 per year.

For postgraduate study, there ismore variation among the differentuniversities’ fees. Fees for researchdegrees average more than €4,000,while fees for taught degree pro-grammes can be under €4,000 or ashigh as €10,000. The charge for anMBA (Masters of Business Adminis-tration) course can be as high as€25,000. The cost of tuition alone canbe off putting, and there is also addi-tional living costs, but try not to letthis deter you. There are many fund-ing opportunities for furthering youreducation offered by governmentagencies, the colleges themselves, andprivate organisations.

Some potential students may qual-ify to have their Undergraduatecourse fees covered by the state. Inorder to qualify for free fees thecourse must be full-time and of atleast two years' duration (or certainone year courses in an institute oftechnology). You can’t already hold anequivalent qualification and you can’tbe repeating the year because of pre-viously failing your exams. You mustbe an EU national, have immigrantstatus, or meet residency require-ments. There is no separate applica-tion for the Free Fees Initiative,

rather eligibility is assessed based onthe information you give when apply-ing for a college place. If you do notqualify for free fees, you may still qual-ify for full or partial payment of fees ifyou satisfy the conditions of theHigher Education Grants Scheme.

The Higher Education Authority(HEA) Grants Scheme and the Voca-tional Education Committees' (VEC)Scholarship Scheme’ are two types ofmeans-tested maintenance grants of-fered by the Irish government and ad-ministered through County Councils.Conditions for application can befound on the Department of Educa-tion and Skills website (www.educa-tion.ie). Official application forms areavailable from the local authority orwww.studentfinance.ie. While theHEA Grants Scheme is intended for

students starting courses, the VECScholarship Scheme is geared to-wards students who have completedtwo years of a Level 7 (OrdinaryBachelor Degree or NationalDiploma) course and so have gainedadmission into year two of a Level 8(Honours Bachelor Degree) course.

In searching for funding, you’ll en-counter the terms fellowship, schol-arship, and bursaries. The terms areoften used interchangeably. Generalscholarships and bursaries are offeredand may be given to students whowill attend school full time, have aminimum average grade of at least a Baverage, and who can demonstrate fi-nancial need, but there are many op-portunities available to specificgroups depending on what you’restudying, where you live, membershipin banks or sports clubs, or back-ground.

There are usually more opportuni-ties to acquire funding when the sub-ject studied is in demand. Most of thesciences, in particular maths and en-gineering have some funding at post-graduate level via private industry. Forexample, The Science Foundation Ire-land/DELL Scholarship provides fund-ing for female engineering students.The INTEL, Shannon Women in Tech-nology Scholarship is open to first orsecond year female undergraduatesplanning to study computer science.The Irish Taxation Institute ThirdLevel Scholarship Programme is forthose interested in a career in taxa-tion.

Area-based Scholarships, besidesthe HEA grants, include those some-times offered by city or county coun-

cils, sports organi-sations, or privateindustry that pro-vide funding oppor-tunities for arearesidents. SomeCredit Unionsaward a number ofeducation grants orbursaries in theircatchment areas forstudents studying atall levels of highereducation. For ex-ample, the Cathe-dral Credit Union in Cork offers a€3,000 Bursary Award to a membersentering full-time third level educa-tion for the first time. Sports groupssuch as various Rugby and GAA clubsoffer competitive educational bur-saries to members.

Bothscholarships and bursaries areoften targeted to specific groups: sin-gle parents, disabled students, or thespecific research goals as a student.For students from disadvantagedbackgrounds there are several schol-arships including the All Ireland Schol-arship Scheme that providesthird-level education scholarships totop-performing Leaving Certificatestudents. The Donogh O’MalleyScholarship Scheme offers a mini-mum of three scholarships in each ofthe following regions: Dublin City andCounty, Rest of Leinster, Munster,Connacht/Ulster, with additionalawards to be provided in the areaswith greater numbers of eligible stu-dents.

Fellowships are usually based onskill, GPA, and qualifications to workin a certain field, as opposed to need.Often Fellowships are payment forsome type of work, such as intern-ships, fieldwork, or teaching at thecollege level, while obtaining a mas-ter’s degree or PhD. They are in-tended to enhance the student’straining and support the student sothey may focus on their study with-out needing additional income. Fel-lowships range from around €10,000to over €20,000. Againsubject areas that are inneed of graduates receivemost Fellowship funding;Science Foundation Irelandoffers fellowships in manyareas of science includingbiomedical research,botany, and chemistry. TheIrish Research Council forthe Humanities and SocialSciences holds an annualcompetition for studentsentering postgraduatestudy and in their first fewyears.

Colleges’ often providefunding themselves, thefaculty, and departmentalwebsites will detail thebursaries and prizes onoffer. In addition checkeach school’s Graduate

Studies website for information aboutpossible funding. The National Uni-versity of Ireland (consisting of UCD,UCC, NUI Galway and NUIMaynooth, and a number of othercolleges) administers a number ofpostgraduate prizes and scholarships.Visit www.nui.ie or the specific mem-ber College website for details. In ad-dition the websites for each Instituteof Technology, DCU, University ofLimerick, and Trinity College all listspecific prizes, bursaries, scholarships,and Fellowships on offer. For a list ofscholarships and fellowships both inIreland and abroad, seehttp://www.scholarships-links.com/

The Erasmus programme allowsregistered undergraduate and post-graduate students to apply for finan-cial support to enable them to spendperiods from three to twelve monthsstudying or working in another par-ticipating country. The eligible coun-tries are all member states of the EUas well as Iceland, Norway, Liechten-stein and Turkey.

Funding agencies do encourage ed-ucation as an investment for the com-munity and the future, and peoplewho have the ambition and abilityshould be encouraged and supported,so if you do require funding for youreducation dont hesitate to try theoptions outlined above. Your localcounty council will probably be thebest place to start or individual col-leges will usually be very helpfult toprospective students.

ANNE TOBIN BEAUTYCOLLEGE & CLINIC

Moneen, Castlebar, Co.Mayo. Phone: 094 9023000Email: annetobinbeautycollege@eircom.net

Web: www.annetobinbeautycollege.ie

NOW ENROLLING for AUTUMN Full Time Beauty Therapy Course - ITEC, CIBTAC & CIDESCO ExaminationsITEC/CIBTAC Part Time Beauty Specialist CourseITEC Holistic Massage CourseITEC Sports Massage CourseITEC Anatomy & Physiology CourseITEC Reflexology CourseITEC Electrolysis Course

Contact the college for more information and to arrangean interview.

Tutors required for Beauty and Hairdressing courses. Please forward your CV to college.

ITEC Make-up Artistry Course ITEC Spa Therapies CourseNail Technology CourseIndian Head Massage CourseHot Stone Massage CourseNEW ** Upstyling and Blowdrying courses

FULLY STOCKED ART SHOP

SLIGO

CARD MAKING SUPPLIES - JEWELLERY MAKING - 3D MODELLING & SCULPTURE

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GREAT CLEARANCES!Moving to Harmony Hill, Sligo in September

43 High St, Sligo.Tel/Fax: 071-9143158artsupply@eircom.net

RED DOORBOOKSHOPNOW OPEN

22 High Street, SligoBuy your Primary and SecondaryBooks early this year to avoid the

September rush, while at the sametime droping in your unwanted books

and uniforms for re-sale.We also stock a large selection of Third

Level Books and School Uniforms

Open Daily9.30am to 5.30pm

For Furtherinformation phone

086-1080903

- Pearse Street, Ballina. Est 1948 -

Order your school uniformfor 2011 from us now

Over 60 Years Experience in SchoolwearQuality Irish Made Uniforms by Skippy, Deerpark and others

Prices guaranteed same as or cheaper than 2010

Expert Personal Attention

TIMLIN’S

Telephone/Fax: (096) 22320 www.petertimlin.ie

THE Sport and Leisure course in MoateBusiness College introduced a new moduleLifeguarding to the course this year. TheLifeguard course is a Fetac Level 6 moduleand is certified by the Irish Water Safety.Students who successfully complete both

the practical and theory exam can work asa lifeguard in the leisure industry. Studentsmust be a competent swimmer with theability to swim a variety of strokes and beconfident in the deep end to partake in themodule. Students learn a variety of skills in-cluding CPR, stroke development, a varietyof rescue strokes and techniques.

This module helps students develop per-sonal and professional skills and qualitieswhich they can continue to use in the fu-ture. Included below are some pictures ofstudents practising some rescue strokesand techniques. www.moatebusinesscollege.com Telephone: 090-6481178

Become a Lifeguard in Moate Business College

Student Transport / Weekend ServiceDonegal / Ballyshannon / Bundoran / Sligo / Roscommon / Carrick / Limerick

For further details Tel: 071-9641059

RELOCATIONOFFERSPAINTS UP TO 40% OFFEASELS 15-50% OFF CANVASES 30% OFF

College Funding OptionsUndergraduate and Postgraduate

The International School of Make upArtistry will be holding an ‘ Open Day ’ onThursday 18th August from 4pm to 6pm.This will give you the opportunity to meetwith some of the schools tutors, the man-ager and the principal of the school.There will be an ‘Introductory make upDemonstration ‘then you will have the op-portunity to speak with

the manager of the school who will answerany questions about the course you are in-terested in attending.If you are interested in attending theschool’s ‘ Open Day ’ please contact theManager to book your place.Tel: 087 121 4678 e-mail: info@schoolofmakeupartistry.iewww.schoolofmakeupartistry.ie

The International School of Makeup Artistry Open Day

Child care professionals have an incred-ibly important job – nurturing chil-dren and looking after their safety and

wellbeing. As such it is important that peoplethis direction are well prepared and receiveadequate training.

The majority of childcare training coursesavailable similar core topics, these includechild development, early childhood educationand communication. These days IT training isalso included to a certain extent. This mayonly be simple computer skills, but a basic

knowledge is required inorder to operate some com-puter based learning systemsthat some childcare groupsand companies employ.

Childcare Courses IrelandChildcare courses, regardlessof the nature of the contentand the manner of teachingemployed at the various col-

leges, can be quite comprehensive these days.There are certain laws and guidelines thateveryone in this profession has to adhere to,and as a result these form an important partof any course. Modules on caring for children,appropriate behaviour, occupational first aidand a general introduction to working inchildcare are all necessary and any goodcourse will include them.

The other essential element of any goodchildcare course is work experience.Whether the course itself lasts one, two orthree years, there should be an element ofwork experience to introduce you to the un-predictable world of work! This is most def-initely the fun element! The length of theplacement all depends on the individual col-

lege & the length of the course. Some place-ments may last just weeks, whereas otherswill require you to send an entire year work-ing. This information will be available to youbefore you enrol on the course and the ex-perience you would like can often determinewhich course you go for!

In terms of the career prospects on offerfor individuals looking to complete a child-care course, there are a wide range of op-tions. Some people choose to go on toteaching, others become a nanny in a privatehome or work in a day care centre. Therewould also be options to work with disabledor disadvantaged children which can be anextremely rewarding career choice for suit-able candidates.

Childcare Courses: Taking Care Of The Future

Mayo College is a college of excellencein Connaught offering a wide range ofcourses – City & Guilds Hairdressing

Full Time & Part Time, City & Guilds; VTCTBarbering & Hot towel shaving. All NVQ qual-ifications in Hairdressing and barbering offersthe learner techniques and experience tostart or develop your career and provides thetheory and practical training required to qual-ify as a Junior Stylist/Barber.New for 2011 we are offering arrange ofITEC beauty courses full and part time to in-clude beauty specialist, theatrical make up,make-up and nails. Mayo College is now ac-credited by FETAC Hairdressing and Beauty.

Why Choose our courses:-• All our courses are delivered in a time frameenabling you to become a top quality hair-dresser/Barber or Beauty specialist. • You may get a course that is delivered in ashorter time frame, but will it prepare you forthe real world of ?

• All our students are trained on live modelsand are assessed on live models.• Our centre is regularly checked for qualityassurance and our tutors are highly skilledand trained in their area field.• Mayo College is a purpose built college withall up to date training equipment.All our awarding bodies offer many excitingopportunities to combine work and traveland explore the many career opportunitiesthat this global qualification presents.We have the course for you check out ourlistings www.mayocollege.ieWe also offer an interest free payment op-tion spread over the duration of the course.If you are in receipt of a social welfare pay-ment you may be entitled to retain it whiletraining here at Mayo College.You will be trained with only professionalproducts Wella & Dermalogica

See our advert on Page 5 of this sup-plement for more details!

Mayo College offers a fantastic opportunity togain qualifications that are recognised aroundthe globe and create a multitude of careeropportunities for yourself

CRAFTS and hobby courses were once seenas a way for people of the older generationsto pass the time. People who may havewanted to improve their social life andwanted to meet a few like minded peopleonce a week. The skill did not matter but thesocial club that the course morphed into did.

Times have changed and this is no longerthe case although the social aspect does ofcourse come hand in hand with it. A lot ofpeople now go to crafts courses to learn anew skill for their own personal develop-ment. There are plenty of these coursesaround that allow for any number of skills tobe learned. Crafts and hobby courses areusually held at local colleges and may be ei-

ther a day or nightcourse. There are usuallyseveral time slots to caterfor different lifestyles sothat you have a variety tochoose from. The courserange offered is usually di-verse and may includecake decorating, creativewriting, knitting, crochet-ing, the basics of drama,sewing, dressmaking,painting, sculpting, sketch-ing, English literature,flower arranging and awhole host of others.

Some courses are rela-tively obscure, but themajority teach popularskills that come in handyin everyday life. Theseskills may not be careeroriented, but they are ex-tremely useful and can beintegral in ensuring an in-dividual's personal devel-

opment! Crafts and hobby courses areexcellent space fillers for individuals that havea hectic schedule because they are often onlyon once or twice a week. The majority ofcourses last between one and two hours,usually depending on whether they arescheduled on one or two days of the week,but very few last longer than that. Some mayeven be over the course of a weekend. Thelength of the courses varies from college tocollege. Some may last six weeks, others maylast twenty to thirty weeks. The shortercourses do not tend to give a qualification atthe end, whereas the long courses may give aNational Certificate or similar.

The course itself will obviously have a set

curriculum, but each one will often deal witha different area of the art or craft everyweek. There may be examinations at the endof the course, but that is unlikely becausearts and crafts courses usually only have apractical exam, if indeed they have one at all.

In terms of advancing a person's career,crafts and hobby courses are generally takenfor pleasure but they can lead to a passionthat sparks a future business idea. There arebusinesses that were born out of a shortcourse at a local college so the idea that theyare just for fun and otherwise useless is oftenfar from accurate. Many individuals use themto enhance their existing careers because ahobby or crafts course can act as a stress re-liever and may lead to a person doing betterat work as a result.

BallinaESTABLISHED, DEPENDABLE SERVICE AT KEENEST RATES

School Bus Service covering Ballina &Surrounding areas

To St. Tiernan’s, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina and local schools

Taking Bookings now - Enquries to Ray Foley on 086-8512777 or 096-77777

Get Creative with Crafts and Hobby Courses

Wheelchair Accessible Bus Available

Email: arrowpeopletransport@eircom.net

If it’s opportunity you’re looking for, ifyou want to shake up how you seethe world, or even just see more of it,

then maybe it’s time to learn anotherlanguage. There is no doubt acquiring asecond or third language can be chal-lenging, but there are huge benefits forwork, pleasure, and health reasons.

Career opportunities skyrocket whenyou have another language. In thesetough economic times people need tomake their CVs unique and significant.Multi-lingual employees are more bangfor their buck for their employers, andmany companies reward staff who usethe additional languages in their careerwith higher salaries.

Irish companies need people withsecond languages to create and maintainbusiness in and with foreign-speakingcountries. European languages such asGerman, French, or Spanish are in hugedemand as the economy in ContinentalEurope improves, and as both Africa andSouth America become more open toforeign business. Meanwhile foreigncompanies need employees who speaktheir language as well as English to helpexpand their businesses into Ireland andother English-speaking countries. Notonly are the European languages in de-mand, but so are Mandarin, Hindi, Russ-ian, Japanese, and Arabic. Irishemployees with second languages are inparticular demand as Ireland has astrong positive image abroad that peo-ple are aware of and can relate to. Thedemand for Multi-lingual Irish employ-ees has never been higher.

french, spanish, german and other lan-guages courses in Dublin and Ireland

Of course second languages aren’tjust for work. Knowing the language ofthe country you are travelling in canmake your holiday much easier to enjoy,and connects people in a social and cul-tural way. By speaking the local languageyou are more likely to be treated betterbecause the locals see that you’ve madean effort to learn their language. Thismakes a difference in the way you seethe world and other people. When

learning a foreign language you also gaininsight into the culture and character ofa people. In a sense, language can beconsidered as the verbal expression ofculture.

But it’s not all just work and play,learning another language is good foryou and has been shown to improvememory and cognitive skills. Oftenwhen learning a second language manypeople discover they start paying moreattention to English grammar and ex-pand their vocabulary.

Learning Another Language

Adult Learning; A second chance

SHORT courses at night schools, vocationalcourses designed to give people a trade or en-hance existing skills and attending university

courses on a full or part time basis are all forms ofadult learning.

Adult learning courses usually last between eightweeks and nine months, depending on the nature ofthe course and the content. For example, a skillscourse to enhance administration skills will proba-bly last longer than one covering cake decoration.Adult learning courses usually require an individualto attend two to three times a week for one or twohour classes.

Adult Learning, further educationThe classes can be scheduled at any time of day

but are most commonly run as evening courses tohelp people to arrange them around their workingpatterns or their other commitments, such as caringfor children. There may also be two versions of the

same course running simultaneously, one in the dayand one in the evening, to give more flexibility &cater for a those with differing schedules.

In terms of the course content to be found onadult learning schemes, it varies in relation to thecourse itself, but the majority of the work and as-sessment is classroom based with a practical examor regular exam at the end of the course. However,the typical course content for adult learning variesdepending on area of study.

In terms of career progression, adult learningcourses can considerably enhance your careerprospects. A good number of the courses are de-signed to introduce you to new skills related to yourexisting career or enhance those that you alreadyhave. The ones that can supplement your existingknowledge can enhance your employability for fu-ture jobs elsewhere or indeed enhance your posi-tion within the company, thus making yourpromotion prospects more real.

ANNE Tobin Beauty College is Mayo’s mostprestigious and longest established Beauty andHolistic College. It is an excellent facility whichcaters specifically for Beauty and Body thera-pies. The college boasts a spacious modernpractical room, 2 large classrooms and a can-teen area for all students.

ITEC HOLISTIC MASSAGE COURSEMassage is a combination of various move-

ments used to manipulate the soft tissues torelax, stimulate and rehabilitate the wholebody or part of it.

This course is designed as the first steppingstone on the road to a Holistic Therapies ca-reer. This course covers Anatomy & Physiol-ogy of the body, including the systems of thebody, its muscles and bones and also a fullbody Holistic massage routine. From thiscourse you can continue your career into Re-flexology, Sports Massage, Indian Head Mas-sage treatments, Hot stone Massagetreatments, Aromatherapy and many more.

ITEC SPORTS MASSAGE COURSESports Massage is the use of massage for the

treatment and prevention of sports injuries. Itcan be used as part of a training programme tohelp prevent injury, as part of rehabilitationprogramme to treat injury, as part of a warm-up for an event and as part of the wind-down

after the event. Sports massage like other forms of massage

helps improve the suppleness and flexibility ofmuscles and joints. It improves lymph andblood circulation and assists the body systemsin functioning at their optimum level. Sportsmassages also speeds up healing of damagedor overworked tissue, increases fitness capa-bilities and performance, prevents future in-juries by treating weak or problem areas,improves muscle suppleness, flexibility andmobility. Sports Massage combines classicSwedish Massage movements with othermore advanced techniques such as lymphdrainage, compression, fractioning, neuro-mus-cular technique, muscle energy technique, softtissue release and connective tissue release.

ITEC MAKE-UP ARTISTRY COURSEFashion, Media and Theatre Make-up

Course commencing Autumn 2011 at AnneTobin Beauty College. For those who alreadyhave a qualification in make-up or beauty ther-apy and wish to further their knowledge andcareer in the area, this higher level diplomacourse is an excellent option.

This course covers fashion/trend and edito-rial looks, special effects, prosthetics, body artand film/TV make-up. The school trainers arehighly experienced make-up artists who haveworked with the BBC and film companies inEngland and internationally. Other courses available at Anne Tobin BeautyCollege: ITEC/CIBTAC Beauty TherapyITEC/CIBTAC Beauty SpecialistITEC ReflexologyITEC Diploma in Lecturing......and many more.Anne Tobin Beauty College, Castlebar, Co.Mayo. Phone 094 90 23000Website www.annetobinbeautycollege.ieannetobinbeautycollege@eircom.net

Education is the future at AnneTobin Beauty College

Ballybrit, Galway. Tel: 091-764131Email: info@cuirtnarasai.com - www.cuirtnarasai.com

ATTENTION GMIT STUDENTS

Cúirt Na RásaíGMIT and Cluain Mhuire

Student Apartments

Are now taking bookings for 20112 Bedroom Apartment (3 double beds)

4 Bedroom Apartments (6 double beds)Single Rooms from €75 p/week

Twin Rooms Sharing from €50 per person/week

www.cuirtnarasai.com

BOOK NOW

SLIGO College of Further Education(SCFE) - The North West’s largestprovider of Further Education opportu-

nities At this time of gloom and doom it isgratifying to witness the continued successand development of Sligo College of FurtherEducation. Over the past four years numbershave increased fivefold, millions have been in-vested in facilities and the range and diversityof courses is changing and increasing everyyear to meet the needs of students through-out the region and beyond.

Mr Joe Carolan, Principal of the College isnot surprised at these developments. He at-tributes the success of the College to a num-ber of factors including the dedication,professionalism and enthusiasm of his staff,the huge ongoing investment in facilities, its

links and proximity to Sligo Institute of Tech-nology and its capacity to respond to theneeds of industry and Higher Education In-stitutions throughout Ireland and abroad.

SCFE now offers over twenty differentcourses in areas as diverse as Social Studies,Nursing, Childcare, Business, Tourism, Design,Art, Hairdressing and Beauty, Complemen-tary Therapies, Science, Engineering, Veteri-nary, Horticulture, Services and MediaStudies. All our courses offer students of allages an alternative route into Third Level ed-ucation and opportunities to acquire newskills for direct entry into employment. Inone year students can attain up to 400 pointswhich can then be used to access many thirdlevel courses though the Central ApplicationsOffice.

Students without LeavingCertificate mathematics willbe offered the option ofstudying a PLC mathemat-ics module to fulfil theentry requirements forThird Level Colleges.

Continuous assessmentby means of assignmentsand project work is a fea-ture of all courses. This re-duces the stress andpressure associated with asingle terminal examinationand ensures that studentswho work consistentlythroughout the year are re-warded.

The Department of Education and Skillshas invested over €3 million in the college inthe past three years and Sligo College of Fur-ther Education now has facilities that rankamong the very best in the country. A largenew extension has been added. The Collegealso has a number of new lecture theatres, afully equipped Hairdressing Salon, a Beauty

and Complementary Therapies facility and anAnimal Grooming room. In addition theCollege now has six modern computer suitesencompassing state of the art technology andcan now offer students full catering facilitiesin its recently refurbished canteen. SCFE isexpected to again significantly increase num-bers this September and maintain its positionas the dominant Further Education College

in the Northwest. In these difficult times it is grati-

fying to see the tremendous stridesthat Sligo College of Further Edu-cation has made over the past fewyears. It is now recognised as theRegional Further Education Collegefor the North West. The Collegehas first class facilities, highly expe-rienced and dedicated staff and isnow in a position to continue toplay a pivotal role in the continueddevelopment of Further Educationfor counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim,Roscommon, Mayo and beyond.

Sligo College of Further Education (SCFE) - The North West’s largestprovider of Further Education opportunities

John Staunton Coach TravelBallintubber, Co. Mayo - Tel: 087-2600152

ATTENTION STUDENTSBus Service Commencing September

Sligo to Castlebar I.T Departs 9.25pm every Sunday from Markievicz Road, Sligo Returns 12 mid-day, every Friday from Castlebar I.T. to Sligo

Ballintubber P.O. via Castlebar 6.50pm, Sligo I.T Service departs every SundayReturns every Friday, from Sligo I.T at 2pm - Ballintubber P.O.

For further information contact John on

087-2600152LICENSED SERVICE - RETURN SERVICE ON FRIDAY

The key skills necessary whenit comes to landing a secre-tarial position are arguably

not complex, but mastery of themis essential if you want to go far. Anentry level position might requireyou to be good with computers(expect to have your typing speedand knowledge of basic computerprograms examined extensively atinterview), as well as strong peopleskills - if you’re enthusiastic -smaller companies might allow youto train on the job. Getting certi-fied, of course, is always going togive you a better chance of landing

a position with more pay and moreresponsibility.

How far it’s worth you going inorder to attain these skills dependsentirely on your aims. It’s worth re-membering that even those with ahigh level diploma in secretarialwork are unlikely to be taken on bymajor firms without at least one totwo years work experience, socombining work and study could bea sensible option for more than justfinancial reasons. If you’re lookingto enter at the bottom, qualifica-tions like the European ComputerDriving License will get your foot in

the door, as will learning to typecorrectly. Picking up some skills indata entry and even languages canbe a big help, too.

Of course, the best way to reallyget yourself noticed is to pick an in-dustry and specialize. There’s barelyan industry that doesn’t have somerequirement for secretaries, andwith a little effort you could findyourself anywhere from manningthe desk at Universal to working ina top accounting firm, writing let-ters to investors about the transferof millions of Euro. The key special-izations – and the key to increasedsalaries – revolve around the mostspecific and demanding of profes-sions. Legal secretarial work iscompetitive, but the staff are in de-mand and paid substantially morethan standard positions. You willneed to learn all about confiden-tiality in particular, and later spe-cializations in subjects such ascriminal law, litigation, family law,civil law, probate, business law andintellectual property is almost asdesired as the lawyers themselves.Secretaries in these areas can go onto become legal executives, as wellas earning substantial salaries intheir own rights at major law firms.

There’s not as much financial re-ward in medical secretarial work,though it is arguably more satisfy-ing in other ways. Medical secre-

taries skills are extremely specialist,and aimed at helping doctors toperform their jobs. You’ll be dealingwith some difficult situations (isthere ever a time when people aremore emotional?), and can also beinvolved in things like the comple-tion of insurance forms. You’ll needto have a good grasp of what’s goingon around you, which in this partic-ular work place is easier said thandone. Many medical secretaries arehighly skilled, specifically trained andeager to give something back. Un-

less you’ve undertaken an extensivecourse, this is certainly not anentry-level position, nor a specialtyto be taken lightly.

The range of options, salaries andrequired qualifications for differentsecretarial positions is enormous,and while you’re never going toout-earn the CEO, you might be-come an essential part of his team,privy to the companies most im-portant deals and paid appropri-ately. In other words, it’s a role wellworth considering.

Secretarial Courses

Residences still available for academic year 2011/2012Premium, bright, spacious & affordableaccommodation.

Accommodation on average €1,750p.a. cheaper than in Sligo town

Use of gymnasium, broadband internet useand private car parking space included in rent

Convenience store, deli, coffee dock, laundretteand more on campus.

Submit your application for a residence not later than Friday, August 31st 2012, and enter the ‘€750 club’ draw to be held on Thursday, September 20th, 2012. The first 10 names drawn will receive a ‘rent credit’ in the sum of €750 each.Bus Connections available to and from IT Sligo.Late Night bus service from Sligo City.(inc. Sunday night)

SASR is a Section 50, PRTB and BER Compliant Undertaking.

On Average

Per Annum - Per Student

THAN IN SLIGOLough Gill, Sligo, Republic of IrelandTel: +353 7191 19911/72100Fax: +353 7191 19922

Residents who re-apply for a residence in academic year2012/2013 on or before May 31, 2012 will enter a draw for‘Paris Summer ‘12 including return flights, hotel accommodation and spending money for a 3-night stay.

Paris Summer 2012